Education news from the GMC - November 2011
Education news from the GMC is a regular e-bulletin which contains the latest news and developments in medical education and training from the GMC.
To receive the update, please send an email to education@gmc-uk.org.
In this issue:
The state of medical education and practice 2011 – published September
This is the GMC's first report on the state of medical education and practice. The information we hold as a medical regulator gives us a unique overview of medical education and practice across the UK. Until recently we have not routinely analysed and shared this information. However, we think it is important that we should do so because it is likely to be of interest to the medical profession, the public and policy makers.
This report is the first step in that process. It sets out much of what the GMC knows about the medical profession, drawing on our own data and where appropriate, data from other sources. Chapter 2 specifically looks at the role of education and training in supporting good medical practice.
Find out more and download the report on the state of medical education and practice 2011.
Consultation on continuing professional development (CPD)
We are consulting on our role in regulating doctors’ CPD between 17 October 2011 and 27 January 2012. We are asking for feedback on three main areas of our work:
- our revised CPD guidance that provides a framework of principles to support doctors in planning, carrying out and evaluating their CPD
- our plans to incorporate the CPD guidance into local processes of appraisal and personal development plans
- how we can share information about key trends, developments in medical practice or professionalism that may be relevant to doctors' future CPD needs.
Your views on this work are really important. You can find out more and take part in our review and consultation on CPD.
Quality assurance visits pilot now underway
We are piloting a new regional approach to our process for visiting medical schools and deaneries. The pilot is running from October to December 2011, and will cover medical schools in Birmingham, Cardiff, Keele, Swansea and Warwick, together with the Wales and West Midlands deaneries.
The visits will look at the quality of both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training, including foundation and specialty training, in each region at the same time. This should show us how medical schools and deaneries work together to train doctors.
With this regional approach, we are aiming to reduce the impact of visits on local education providers by covering both undergraduate and postgraduate training in a single visit, rather than having separate visits for each type of training.
We are also piloting quality assurance reviews of training in small specialties, which will include some visits.
Contact quality@gmc-uk.org to find out more about this work.
National training survey
This year, more than 46,000 trainee doctors responded to our annual survey about their training. This survey provides a comprehensive picture of the views, experience and perceptions of trainees working across the UK, providing care and treatment for millions of patients.
We have published the key findings in our new report, National training survey 2011. Headline results from the report include:
- 79% of trainees rated their training as excellent, meaning overall satisfaction with training continues to increase
- 24% of newly qualified doctors said they did not feel ready for their foundation year one post – suggesting there is still work to do in supporting doctors through key career transition periods
- 22% of trainees reported that on a regular basis they were forced to cope with challenges for which they felt inadequately prepared.
To read the national report go to National training surveys.
Detailed results can be accessed through our online reporting tool at National training surveys reports, which allows comparisons by specialty, deanery, and education provider.
For more information see the press release on publication of the survey report.
GMC education conference 2011
This major annual event took place at the Barbican in London on 1 November, attracting around 200 delegates from all areas of medical education and training.
The theme – medical education … in a cold climate – looked at how we can maintain quality in education and training as the UK's health system faces unprecedented challenges. Speakers looked at issues including international comparisons of medical education and training, and asked whether every hospital should be a training environment. Attendees were also asked what changes they would make if they were in charge of the GMC for the day.
Feedback from attendees has been very positive, and the workshops have given us some very useful insights to help us with the next stage of delivering the Education Strategy 2011–13 (pdf).
To see presentations, photographs and other information from the day, go to 2011 GMC education conference.
Less than full-time training
We issued a position statement in October 2011 on arrangements for specialty trainees in less than full-time training.
After consulting key interest groups, our Postgraduate Board concluded that a minimum time requirement of no less than 50% of full-time training should be re-established for specialty trainees working towards a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT).
Postgraduate deans will have flexibility to reduce the time requirement further in exceptional cases, to an absolute minimum of 20% of full-time training, with the expectation that this reduction will last for no more than 12 months.
Read the full position statement on less than full-time training.
Trainers – consultation on approval and recognition
Early next year we intend to consult on the approval and recognition of trainers. We propose to use local processes and existing standards and to cover:
- For undergraduate training: lead co-ordinators at each Local Education Provider and doctors overseeing students’ progress for each medical school.
- For postgraduate training: named educational supervisors and named clinical supervisors.
For more information see the approval of trainers project, or contact Ben Griffith with your questions or comments or to get involved in the consultation.
Workplace based assessment – new discussion document
A cross-organisational group has developed a new discussion document about workplace based assessment. The group included representatives of the GMC, medical Royal Colleges, deaneries, medical schools, employers and trainees.
The document, Learning and assessment in the clinical environment, includes proposals for new terminology and guidance on next steps.
Read the discussion document on learning and assessment in the clinical environment or you can contact Ben Griffith with questions or comments about this work.
Research into quality assurance
As part of our Education Strategy 2011–2013 (pdf), we are starting a comprehensive review of how we assure the quality of medical education. This will help to establish a robust evidence base for effective quality assurance.
The research will start with a literature and internet review to identify organisations involved in quality assuring education and training, ideally in a regulatory context. Then, a series of in-depth discussions with key people in these organisations will explore approaches to quality assurance and regulation, for example:
- how quality assurance activities are planned and targeted
- how visits are targeted and on what basis
- what standards or criteria are used to inform this process
- to what extent quality assurance relies on self-assessment or shared evidence
- what sanctions are available to the regulator
- how regulators report on performance.
The research will be undertaken by Colin Wright Associates, on behalf of the GMC.
An interim report will be prepared by the end of December 2011, followed by a final report at the end of February 2012. The final report will include analysis of the range of quality assurance and regulatory practices, case studies of good practice in specific organisations, and how these practices could be used in the GMC.
For further information go to quality assurance review or contact Richard Marchant.
Report on roundtable events
Our Education Strategy 2011–2013 (pdf) includes a commitment to work with organisations, groups and individuals who have a stake in medical education and training and to give them opportunities to feed back on our work. To support this, we held four roundtable events between March and May 2011. Each meeting targeted different groups within the medical profession that are directly affected by our work.
- On 3 March 2011, trainees discussed possible key outcomes for training, the use and impact of the trainer and trainee surveys, and how we can better engage with trainees.
- On 9 March 2011, medical students debated implications of student selection, issues of professionalism and the need for student registration.
- On 12 May 2011, staff grade, specialty and associate specialist (SAS) doctors gave us their thoughts on the review of routes to the GP and Specialist registers, the review of our role in CPD, and the impact of our work on the approval of trainers.
- On 18 May 2011, GPs and consultants in their first year after qualification discussed issues relating to their preparedness for practice, the need for generic core curricula and the review of CPD.
Read the report on the education roundtable meetings (pdf).
Good Medical Practice 2012 – share your views now
We have launched a major consultation on a new draft of Good Medical Practice, our core guidance for doctors in the UK. The consultation runs from Monday 31 October 2011 to Friday 10 February 2012. The new guidance will be issued by the end of 2012.
In the new draft guidance, doctors are asked to take a lead role in making sure a patient’s safety, comfort and dignity are always maintained throughout their care. It also includes new advice to doctors on:
- behaviour online and in particular the use of social networking sites
- accounting for a patient’s broader history – including spiritual, religious, psychological, social and cultural factors
- encouraging patients to stay in or return to employment or other purposeful activity when appropriate.
To find out more and take part, visit the review of Good Medical Practice 2012.
Revalidation rules and regulations: consultation now live
Revalidation of all doctors will start in late 2012.
We are now consulting on whether the legal powers we believe we need to make revalidation flexible enough for all doctors, while still being robust and consistent, are the right ones.
To find out more about the draft regulations for revalidation and to comment on these, go to the consultation on the revalidation regulations.
This consultation closes on 27 January 2012.